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"Legal Blog" versus "Blawg"

I've indicated that I will be researching legal blogs, using 3L Epiphany as a tool to conduct my research and display my results. I wanted to mention briefly why I prefer using the term "legal blog," as opposed to the term "blawg."

Of course, the word "blawg" is derived from "blog," which in turn is short for "weblog."  The word "blawg" was invented to distinguish legal blogs from other types of blogs.

There are two reasons why I dislike the word "blawg." First, "blawg" just looks like an unserious, contrived word, and many legal bloggers have indicated disdain for the term. Second, and more importantly, "blawg" sounds exactly the same as "blog." Because the words are homonyms, there is simply no way to disinguish between "blawg" and "blog" in conversation. So if a person gives a speech and refers to a "blawg," listeners will not be able to instantly discern whether he is talking about a regular blog or a legal blog.   

The term "legal blog" makes it clear that something other than a general blog is meant. For oral communication purposes, "legal blog" is instantly understood, while "blawg" is more likely to obscure its own meaning. So I will be using the term "legal blog" and avoiding the term "blawg" throughout my independent study project.

March 5, 2006 in Taxonomy Explanations | Permalink

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